Virgin Islands' Community Supported Agriculture

Get a 3/4 bushel box every week of certified organic produce in St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John. St. Croix. Summer shares now available for all three islands. Read newsletters from past seasons below, and click below to register for your CSA!

After twelve weeks of harvest and produce-filled boxes, we've reached the final week of the Winter/Spring 2013 CSA. This week, your box has a crop that's been growing slowly all season long and is finally ready for you - sweet peppers. We're growing a few different varieties, including "Corno di Toro" or bullhorn-type Italian frying peppers and pimento-type sweet peppers. They're not the bell shape you may be used to seeing, but they're definitely sweet (not hot). Try them roasted, grilled, fried or raw, and check out some of the recipes below.

We just opened sign-ups for the summer and fall seasons exclusively to our current CSA members (for this week only) - you can chosse to sign up for the Full Season (22 weeks total, June through November), or just the Summer season for now.

Thank you for your continued support! We look forward to growing for you seasons to come.

1. Heat the grill. Slice the eggplant into lengths and put in a large bowl. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and set aside while making the marinade.

2. Whisk together the olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, and cumin. Dab away any extra water that has beaded up on the eggplant and toss with the marinade. Stir in the garlic. Place the eggplant onto the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes until very tender and slightly browned. Or roast in a 400F oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the grill and cool slightly, then cut into cubes.

3. Whisk together the lemon juice and soy sauce in the same bowl that held the marinade. Return the eggplant to the bowl and toss with the lemon juice mixture.

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange tomatoes, eggplant, onion and garlic on a large baking sheet, or two smaller ones if you, like me, have a tiny oven. Brush or drizzle vegetables with oil then roast them for 20 minutes, pausing only to remove the garlic cloves (the original recipe had you keep them in the whole time, and mine, sadly, burned) and returning the pans to the oven for another 25 minutes, until the remaining vegetables are tender and brown in spots. Remove from oven and scoop eggplant from skin into a heavy, large saucepan or soup pot. Add the rest of the vegetables, the thyme and the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until onion is very tender, about 45 minutes (mine took longer). Cool slightly.

2. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until it is as smooth as you’d like it to be. (Or, if you have an immersion blender, you can do this in the pot.) Back in the pot, add the cream and bring the soup back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in four bowls, sprinkled with goat cheese.

1. Turn stovetop gas burner to high and place eggplants, one at a time, directly over burner grate, turning occasionally with tongs until all sides are charred and eggplant is soft, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a baking sheet and let cool completely.

2. Drain juices, remove skin, and place eggplant pulp in the bowl of a food processor. *If you do not have a gas burner at home, you can broil the eggplants (turning them just as you would on the flame) until their skin is blistered and the inside is creamy and soft.

3. Pulse eggplant 10-15 times until well chopped but with a few remaining chunks. Add red pepper, garlic, scallion, oil, tahini, lemon juice, cayenne and salt, pulsing to incorporate all ingredients. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until serving.

1. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the peppers and onions until tender, but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and season with pepper. Cook, covered, for 2 minutes, set aside. Heat some additional oil in the saute pan and saute the eggplant until lightly browned and tender. Stir in the tomato mixture, and cook gently for 5 minutes.

2. Mash together the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Finely chop the basil and mash with garlic until it forms a paste. Blend into the eggplant mixture and cook for a few more minutes.

1. Preheat the grill or broiler. Brush the olive oil lightly over both sides of the eggplant and sprinkle with salt. Grill or broil the eggplant until tender, 3 or 4 minutes per side. Place in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of vinegar and half of the minced garlic.

2. Cut the tops off the peppers, slice in half and remove the seeds. Grill or broil the peppers until tender and then toss them in a bowl with the remaining vinegar and garlic.

3. Grill, broil or toast the bread. If you are using aioli or mayonnaise spread it on the bread and then assemble the sandwiches with layers of eggplant, peppers and tomatoes.

Do you ever wonder what life at the farm is like? Well, we would love for you to experience it with us! Please take this opportunity to volunteer in the gardens, join us for a community dinner, and retreat to your private cabana after dark...

FARM WISH LISTGot some things laying around that we can re-use in the CSA?Last season we received egg cartons, more reusable bags, a blender, some garden hoses, a trash bin, and other great things that we use and were saved from going to the landfill or rotting in a shed. THANK YOU!

BAGS - plastic, paper and/or re-usable bags

T-posts -- the longer the better!

Good quality scrap lumber -- 2x4's, plywood, etc UNTREATED

any working garden tools

coolers

Banana and Pineapple boxes - intact

Cash boxes, old cash-register trays

Produce scales

your CSA boxes!

feedback

Storage Tips

Tomatoes - Tomatoes don't like refrigeration- instead of the fridge, keep them in a cool spot (around 55-60 degrees) out of direct sunlight. If your tomatoes are ripe, enjoy them immediately. If they still have green shoulders, they will ripen fully in a day or two.

From the FieldWhile we're nearing the end of the Winter CSA season, we're sowing the seeds for the CSA seasons to come - keep your eyes and e-mails peeled for news on the sign-up, which will begin soon. We're once again in the mode of saving seed, starting new plants, sowing cover crop and preparing new ground to plant into. The bees and other beneficial insects sure like the flowering basil and coriander in the fields, and numerous other plants are setting flowers that will soon bear fruits - cashew, mango, surinam cherry, passionfruit and more. Our eggplants are abundant, and so is your share this week - you'll find a generous amount of them, along with tomatoes and a newcomer - Jalapenos! Try out some of the recipes below. I've also heard they're tasty in a Bloody Mary (alcoholic or non) made with fresh tomatoes. There's also a bunch of fresh green onions - use them raw or cooked in any recipe that calls for scallions, onions, chives or green onions. Your greens this week are called Komatsuna - they are similar to mustard greens, but mild not spicy! Treat the leaves like spinach, as it does not need much cooking and can be eaten raw. Use in any recipe that calls for greens.Thank you for your continued support!Enjoy the harvest,Claudia Seixas & the crew at Ridge to Reef Farm

Pictured above: Bees enjoying the flowering basil in the field.Farm RecipesJalapeno Corn BreadIngredients: 2-6 jalapenos, lightly roasted in the oven (see instructions below)2 C all-purpose flour2 C corn meal (yellow or blue)1/4 C sugar (turbinado, white or brown)1 TBS salt1 TBS baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda2 TBS flaxseed meal soaked in 1/4 C warm water* 2.5 C soy milk (or other dairy or non-dairy milk)1 stick (1/2c.) melted Earth Balance, butter or margarine OR ½ c. canola oil (or other mild oil) Instructions • Preheat oven to 400°F. Roast jalapenos about 5 minutes on each side, until the skin starts to bubble up and look like yummy roasted goodness.• Meanwhile, mix up the batch of Texas cornbread.• Remove peppers from oven, and turn down the heat to 350°F• When peppers are cool enough to handle, slice down one side and remove some or all of the seeds. Dice the peppers into small pieces. • Grease a 9×13 baking dish, or cast iron skillet (or muffin pan) • In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda. • Add wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Add prepared jalapenos to cornbread batter and mix to incorporate. • Pour batter into baking dish and bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes for muffins, or 40-45 minutes for 9X13 pan, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.Enjoy!* To make flaxseed meal from whole flax, just blend in a coffee grinder or food processor until fine. Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella SaladIngredients: 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2-4 medium eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slicesCoarse salt and ground pepper1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced 1 pound sliced tomatoes1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn1/4 cup finely chopped parsley2 tablespoons balsamic vinegarDirections: • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush two rimmed baking sheets with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil each. Arrange eggplant slices on sheets. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until eggplant is golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. • On a serving platter, layer eggplant with sliced mozzarella and tomatoes. Top with basil leaves and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and balsamic vinegar. Recipe couresty Martha Stewart, Everday FoodEggplant Stuffed Jalapeno PoppersIngredients for Stuffing: 1 tsp Cumin seeds1tsp oil1-2 Tomatoes1-2 large Eggplants 1/2 c. parsley, finely chopped Ingredients for Poppers:8 to 10 Jalapenos1/2 cup All-purpose flour1 cup Bread Crumbs (More if needed)Directions: 1. Broil the Eggplant in a broiler for about 5 to 10 min. on each side until done.2. Heat the oil in a small pan, add cumin seeds, once they start spluttering, add tomato and cook until tomato becomes soft and mushy.3. Peel the skin of eggplant. Blend the tomato, eggplant, parsley and salt to taste in a blender and keep it aside4. Make a slit on one side length wise on each Jalapeno and remove seeds.5. Stuff the above mixture into each of these.6. Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry them. Mix All purpose flour with some water and salt to make a smooth paste. It should not be too thick or thin, it should be at the right consistency to coat the jalapeno.7. Dip each jalapeno into the flour mixture first and then dip them into the bread crumbs to coat them properly. Then put them into oil and deep fry them until done.

For the dip: mix the remaining stuffing mixture with yogurt and added a dash of salt.For tempering: use 1 tsp of oil, 1/2 tsp cumin, and 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. Pour over the dip and mix.Serve the poppers with the dip. Enjoy!Recipe courtesy the blog Snackorama

Free Farm Stay for CSA Members! (A $125 value!)

Do you ever wonder what life at the farm is like? Well, we would love for you to experience it with us! Please take this opportunity to volunteer in the gardens, join us for a community dinner, and retreat to your private cabana after dark...

FARM WISH LISTGot some things laying around that we can re-use in the CSA?Last season we received egg cartons, more reusable bags, a blender, some garden hoses, a trash bin, and other great things that we use and were saved from going to the landfill or rotting in a shed. THANK YOU!

From the FieldHope everyone had a nice Easter weekend! We celebrated at the farm with a much-needed rain shower - our thirsty crops enjoyed receiving over an inch of water. Many of our leafy green plants sprung back to life with new growth, and the eggplants and tomatoes absorbed water like balloons. At the same time the guinea grass and weeds took the opportunity to germinate, so they are flourishing along with the vegetable crops.This week you'll find a bunch of beets with their greens in your CSA box - they're nothing like the canned beets many of us grew up hating (though my father still swears by them). Beets and Swiss Chard are actually the same species, Beta vulgaris, just different subspecies that have been traditionally bred over time to favor production of either the greens or the roots. Beet greens can be prepared like Chard, and the roots can be roasted, boiled or pickled, among other preparations - try the recipe below for Balsamic Beets and Beet Greens.We harvested Chaya for you this week, a highly nutritious green from the Yucatan in Mexico - read the What's That Food? section for more information on this plant, and try out some of the recipes below. Be sure to note that Chaya should not be eaten raw, and must be boiled for about 10 minutes before further preparation, in order to remove naturally-occurring hydrocyanic glycosides.Thank you for your continued support!Enjoy the harvest,Claudia Seixas & the crew at Ridge to Reef Farm

Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius), also called Mayan Spinach, Tree Spinach and Mexican Spinach, is a perrenial tropical shrub native to the Mexico, and a proflific producer of nutrient-dense green leaves. It has been used in the traditional cuisine of Central America and southern Mexico since pre-Columbian times, and is still consumed widely today. Chaya is high in protein, calcium, iron, beta carotene and vitamins A, B and C - significantly more so than most other green leaf vegetables.

The leaves should be chopped and boiled for about 10 minutes prior to eating due to the presence of hydrocyanic glycosides, which are removed by cooking (HCN boils off as a gas, making the broth and leaves suitable for consumption).After the initial boiling, Chaya is often strained, then prepared and seasoned just like cooked spinach in meals like lasagna, pizza, eggs and burritos. Previously boiled and drained chaya can also be fried or sautéed in oil with onion and tomatoes. Some traditional preparation include Dzotobilchay (Chaya Tamales), Pibxcatic (stuffed chilies) and tacos filled with boiled, fried chaya, cooked with tomato and chilies then rolled in roasted pumpkin seeds. Try one of the recipes below!Farm Recipes

IN A LARGE SKILLET, heat olive oil and bacon until bacon is cooked. Remove bacon and set aside to drain. Reduce heat and add onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook until softened. Add chaya and cover. Cook 20-25 minutes or until chaya is tender, stirring occasionally. Return bacon to skillet and toss to incorporate. Check seasonings and serve.

Mix the ingredients for the dough and spread it out in a buttered pie dish. Make sure that you have dough standing out on the sides so the liquid topping will stay inside. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 F.

Beat the eggs and mix with milk and the seasoning.

Get the dough out of the oven and put the egg-milk mixture on top. Add the chopped onion, the sliced Chaya and the shredded cheese.

Put back in the oven for about 30 more minutes. Check on it when it starts to smell good. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy.

Recipe by Nadja Hofmann, former apprentice (based on the "Joy of Cooking")

CHAYA CASSEROLEINGREDIENTS3 cups chopped and cooked chaya4 tbsp chopped onion2 eggs, lightly beaten1 cup milk½ cup bread crumbs or ground bread2 tbsp buttersalt and pepper to tasteDIRECTIONSMix together the chaya, onion, salt and pepper; stir the eggs into the milk and add to the chaya mixture and place in a greased glass casserole, sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and butter. Bake at 220 degrees for 15 minutes.Recipe courtesy Urban Harvest

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread walnuts in a baking dish and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Coarsely chop and set aside.

Cut off the beets, then separate the leaves from the stems at the base of the leaf. Discard the stems. Wash greens and cut into strips about ½ inch wide. Set aside.

Scrub beets and place unpeeled in a steamer and cook until tender. (The recipe recommends 30 minutes, but mine cooked quicker. Roasting beets is also a very good idea). Peel beets by running them under cold water while slipping off skins. Cut beets into quarters, and cut each quarter into ¼ inch thick slices. Place in a medium-size bowl and toss with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt. Set aside.In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add sliced greens and cook, covered, for 5 to 7 minutes until wilted. Just before serving, add beets to the beet greens and heat through (1 to 2 minutes). Place greens and beets on a platter and garnish with toasted walnuts.Recipe courtesy Something Good! CSA